Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue 

Alert Act 

Report to Congress May 2021 

United States Department of Justice 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office)
Contents

I. Purpose .................................................................................................................................................

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1

II. Background 1

III. Coordinator Duties/Activities ...........................................................................................................

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1

Designation of National Coordinator and Deputy National Coordinator 2

Establishment of Advisory Group and quarterly meetings.......................................................................

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2

Development of voluntary guidelines and protocols 3

Information repositories and delivery of technical assistance 4

Engagement with stakeholders 5

Cooperation with other federal agencies 5

Promotion of the Blue Alert Act 6

Coordination with United States Attorneys' Offices 7

IV. Blue Alerts Issued 7

V. Effectiveness and Status of Blue Alert Plans 9

VI. Officers Shot in the Line of Duty 11

2020 summary data 11

VII. Summary of Activities and Projected Next Steps ...........................................................................

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12

Notable past developments/activities 12

Notable new developments/activities 14

Upcoming activities 15

VIII. Attachments 15
1 

I. Purpose

Pursuant to the Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015, Pub. L. No. 114-12 (Blue 

Alert Act or Act), the United States Department of Justice (DOJ or Department) provides this annual 

report to Congress. 

II. Background

The Blue Alert Act was enacted to “establish a national Blue Alert communications network within the

Department of Justice to issue Blue Alerts through the initiation, facilitation, and promotion of Blue 

Alert plans, in coordination with States, units of local government, law enforcement agencies, and other 

appropriate entities.” (34 U.S.C. § 50502).1 Named for two fallen New York City Police Department 

(NYPD) officers who were ambushed, the Act is intended to facilitate rapid dissemination of information 

to law enforcement agencies, the media, and the public that will aid in (1) apprehending violent 

criminals who have killed or seriously injured a law enforcement officer in the line of duty; (2) finding an 

officer when he or she is missing in connection with his or her official duties; or (3) sharing notice of an 

imminent and credible threat that an individual intends to cause the serious injury or death of a law 

enforcement officer.

Officer safety and wellness remains a top priority for the Department. The Department is committed to 

implementing the Blue Alert Act to protect the lives of the men and women who bravely serve in law 

enforcement. The nature of police work is uniquely dangerous, and the Department continues its strong 

support of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement as they advance public safety. 

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), because of its extensive previous 

work on officer safety and wellness issues, was tasked by the Department with overseeing 

implementation of the Blue Alert Act and creating the National Blue Alert Network.

III. Coordinator Duties/Activities

The Blue Alert Act requires an annual report to Congress on the activities of the National Blue Alert 

Coordinator and the effectiveness and status of Blue Alert plans that are in effect or being developed. 

The COPS Office has dedicated significant time and effort to implement the Blue Alert Act and reports 

the following activities:

1 While the legislation does not specifically mention Tribes, in its implementation of the Act the COPS Office is 

working with Tribal law enforcement as well.
2 

Designation of National Coordinator and Deputy National Coordinator

The Blue Alert Act requires the Attorney General to assign an existing officer of the Department to act as 

the national coordinator of the Blue Alert communications network—to serve as the nationwide point of 

contact for the development of a network and regional coordination of Blue Alerts through the network 

(34 U.S.C. § 50503(a)).

As noted in previous Reports to Congress, the Attorney General designated the Director of the COPS 

Office as the National Blue Alert Coordinator (Coordinator). For this reporting period, the COPS Office 

Director was Philip E. Keith; the Deputy Blue Alert National Coordinator (Deputy Coordinator) was COPS 

Office staff member Vince Davenport. The COPS Office Blue Alert team continued to meet regularly to 

discuss implementation strategies, timelines, and deliverables. Select members of the team have been 

trained to provide technical assistance to states and local and tribal law enforcement agencies seeking 

to establish Blue Alert plans or enhance an existing Blue Alert plan. 

Establishment of Advisory Group and quarterly meetings 

Pursuant to the Blue Alert Act, the Coordinator is required to establish an Advisory Group to assist 

states, local governments, and other involved entities with initiating, facilitating, and promoting Blue 

Alert plans (34 U.S.C. § 50503(b)(5)). The Act requires the group to have geographically diverse 

representation and include the following representatives:

• A law enforcement organization representing rank-and-file officers

• Other law enforcement agencies and public safety communications

• Broadcasters, first responders, dispatchers, and radio station personnel

• Other individuals and organizations the Coordinator determines are necessary for the success of 

the network

As previously reported, the Coordinator established an Advisory Group that satisfies each of the 

statutory requirements. Today, there are fourteen members representing the following organizations:

• Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)

• National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO)

• Blue Alert Foundation, Inc.

• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)

• National Sheriffs' Association (NSA)

• National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF)

• Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO)

• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
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• National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)

• Concerns of Police Survivors

• Georgia Bureau of Investigation

• Indian Country Intelligence Network (ICIN)

In addition, during the reporting period a tribal law enforcement representative joined the Advisory 

Group.

The Advisory Group meets on a regular basis. To date, Advisory Group members have provided valuable 

individual feedback to the COPS Office on our guidance and recommendations to states and local 

governments in developing or enhancing their Blue Alert plans. The COPS Office will add additional 

Advisory Group members or amend the frequency of meetings, as appropriate, consistent with the 

discretion granted to the Coordinator by the Blue Alert Act.

Development of voluntary guidelines and protocols 

The Blue Alert Act requires the Coordinator to establish voluntary guidelines for states and local 

governments to use in developing Blue Alert plans. The guidelines must include a list of resources 

necessary to establish Blue Alert plans; criteria and guidelines for issuing Blue Alerts; guidelines to 

protect privacy and civil liberties; and guidelines aligned with the National Crime Information Center

(NCIC) database operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and any other relevant crime 

information repository (34 U.S.C. § 50503(b)(2)).

The Department has developed voluntary guidelines that address two complementary components of 

the Blue Alert Act: public alerts and law enforcement sensitive (LES) alerts. Public alerts directed at 

media outlets and affected communities provide suspect or missing officer information that is 

appropriate for public dissemination. LES alerts directed at affected law enforcement agencies provide 

sensitive information that is accessible only to law enforcement personnel. Public and LES alerts are 

often sent concurrently.

Unlike public Blue Alerts, LES Blue Alerts are limited to situations where an investigating agency needs to 

share information with other state or law enforcement agencies but has elected not to make suspect 

information publicly known. LES alerts are used when the investigating agency believes that making 

suspect information known publicly could jeopardize the criminal investigation or when the investigating 

agency believes that public alerting is not prudent given the facts known at the time. LES alerts are also 

used when there is a known credible threat to law enforcement in a particular jurisdiction and the 

investigating agency wishes to alert other law enforcement personnel in the affected jurisdictions or 

geographical area without making the threat known publicly.

To meet its statutory mandate to establish voluntary guidelines, the COPS Office has issued Blue Alert 

Guidelines (https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/blue-alert/blue alert guidelines.pdf) to provide general 

information on when a law enforcement agency should issue Blue Alerts consistent with the statutory 
4 

criteria as set forth in the Blue Alert Act. Blue Alerts may be issued when one of the following sets of 

threshold criteria are met: (1) death or serious injury of a law enforcement officer in the line of duty; (2) 

law enforcement officer missing in connection with official duties; or (3) threat to cause death or serious 

injury to a law enforcement officer.

To supplement the Blue Alert Guidelines, the COPS Office has also developed Effective Blue Alert Plans: 

Guidance and Recommendations to help states and local agencies through the Blue Alert plan

development process; enhance and standardize existing state and local Blue Alert plans; and promote 

nationwide compatibility of Blue Alert plans. This comprehensive guidance identifies and addresses 

eight key elements to consider in developing new or updating existing Blue Alert plans: (1) activation 

criteria for alerts; (2) requesting alerts; (3) writing effective alerts; (4) geographic scope of alerts; (5) 

interstate and intrastate coordination of alerts; (6) duration of alerts; (7) officer privacy protection; and 

(8) suspect apprehension efforts.

The COPS Office has worked closely with partners at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and 

Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to establish the most effective way to deliver 

targeted alerts within the existing alerting infrastructure. We will also continue to work with law 

enforcement stakeholders and Advisory Group members to increase the effectiveness of our guidance.

Information repositories and delivery of technical assistance 

Since October 2016, the COPS Office has maintained a dedicated webpage on our website at 

https://cops.usdoj.gov/bluealert to promote Blue Alerts and provide educational materials. This

National Blue Alert Network webpage serves as a center for resources including the following:

• Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015

• Blue Alert map indicating those states and territories with Blue Alert plans

• Blue Alert Guidelines

• National Blue Alert Network factsheet

• Blue Alert Legislation Compendium

• State Blue Alert Officials Directory (public contact information)

• Information on how to access our secure controlled-access information-sharing platform and 

who is eligible to use it

Since January 2017, the COPS Office has provided a secure web-based data repository maintained on 

the FBI Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) that provides controlled access to states, local 

governments, law enforcement agencies, and other qualified stakeholders as determined by the 

Coordinator. Individuals with existing LEEP or LEO.gov accounts can access the National Blue Alert 
5 

Network Special Interest Group (SIG) on this platform directly at 

https://www.cjis.gov/. The National Blue Alert SIG provides curated information that may not be 

appropriate for public dissemination to include, but not limited to, the following: 

• State Blue Alert Officials Directory (24-Hour emergency contact information)

• National Blue Alert Network PowerPoint Presentation

• Effective Blue Alert Plans: Guidance and Recommendations

• Sample Blue Alert Policies

The COPS Office will continue to enhance the National Blue Alert Network webpage and SIG with 

updated and new information on a regular basis.

Notably, the Blue Alert Act prohibits the Coordinator from lobbying any state officer regarding the 

funding or implementation of a Blue Alert plan (34 U.S.C. § 50503(e)(2).The COPS Office does offer free 

informational resources and technical assistance to any state or local agency wishing to establish or 

modify its Blue Alert plans. Upon request by the state or local agency, trained COPS Office Blue Alert 

Team members will review Blue Alert plans and provide feedback to ensure compliance with the 

voluntary guidelines and protocols.

Engagement with stakeholders 

The COPS Office maintains active partnerships with various stakeholders representing law enforcement 

and emergency communications in order to administer and expand the National Blue Alert Network. 

Stakeholder organizations play a key role in ensuring that the COPS Office is aware of relevant issues 

affecting officer safety and alerting technologies. The COPS Office will continue to work with 

stakeholders individually and collectively to develop and enhance our national Blue Alert strategy. We 

will also identify additional stakeholders as needed.

Cooperation with other federal agencies

The Act requires the Coordinator to cooperate with the FCC, the Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and other DOJ offices as appropriate (34 U.S.C. § 

50503(d)). As previously reported, the COPS Office has established a point of contact with each of the 

identified federal agencies and the FBI. We have since forged strong working relationships with several 

key federal partners, most notably the FCC and FEMA.

The FCC oversees the national Emergency Alert System (EAS) used to deliver important emergency 

information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas. The FCC plays a 

key role in alerting, as it establishes the technical standards, activation procedures, and testing 

protocols. The FCC has sole authority to create the fixed three-letter EAS event codes used to define 

alerts and their corresponding actions by broadcasters, cable system operators, wireless carriers, and 

other parties responsible for alerting the public. On December 14, 2017, the FCC voted unanimously to 
6 

approve the creation of a special three-letter EAS event code to be used by alerting authorities when 

issuing Blue Alerts: BLU. The new FCC rule constituted a major advancement in alerting capabilities and 

will benefit all 50 states and U.S. territories, including Tribal lands. The rule took effect in two phases. 

The use of the BLU event code for alerts issued via television and radio went into effect on January 18, 

2019. The use of BLU for Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) became effective on November 29, 2019.

In tandem with the FCC's role in alerting, the DHS's FEMA is responsible for maintaining and operating 

the national Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System (IPAWS). In order to ensure that alerting 

capabilities keep up with current and emerging technologies, FEMA partners with various stakeholders 

from the public and private sectors representing broadcasting, mobile device manufacturers, and other 

interested industries.

States and many jurisdictions rely on IPAWS to utilize EAS and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to alert

the public. IPAWS allows alerting authorities to write their own emergency alerts using commercially 

available software applications approved by FEMA and compliant with common alerting protocols. 

Alerts are authenticated and delivered simultaneously through multiple communication pathways to 

quickly reach the public.

The COPS Office will continue its ongoing coordination efforts with FEMA to advance the integration of 

Blue Alert Plans into IPAWS. The COPS Office will also continue to seek consultation with, and ongoing 

advice from, our federal partners. We will also identify new federal partners as needed.

Promotion of the Blue Alert Act 

Notably, the Blue Alert statute prohibits the Coordinator from conducting any official travel or hosting a 

conference for the sole purpose of implementing the Blue Alert Act (34 U.S.C. § 50503(e)(3)). These 

restrictions have not prevented the COPS Office from promoting the Blue Alert Act, and we have 

undertaken a number of measures to raise awareness of the Blue Alert Act.

Beginning in 2019, and continuing during this reporting period, the National Blue Alert Coordinator set 

forth a 'battle plan' to target states that had not yet adopted Blue Alert plans or systems. COPS Office 

staff partnered with U.S. Attorneys' Offices in the affected states to identify select groups of law 

enforcement stakeholders who could assist with information sharing regarding the benefits of Blue 

Alerts and the resources of the National Blue Alert Network. The results led to the creation of working 

coalitions of concerned stakeholders in the targeted states. Many of these coalitions have gone on to 

promote Blue Alert legislation and other actions leading to the adoption of Blue Alert plans or systems. 

The Department has also promoted awareness of the Blue Alert Act at various national law enforcement 

conferences, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs 

Association, and the National Sheriffs’ Association. These conferences provide outreach to tens of 

thousands of law enforcement officers and agencies. The Department has also responded to multiple 

requests from various state law enforcement agencies for additional information, technical assistance, 

and resources, offering stakeholders a roadmap for establishing Blue Alert plans and examples of 
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existing Blue Alert legislation. The following seven states introduced Blue Alert legislation during this

reporting period: Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. 

Arkansas introduced a Blue Alert bill at the 2021 legislative session 

Coordination with United States Attorneys' Offices

In addition to this 'battle plan' coordination, the COPS Office continues to expand its partnerships with 

U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the nation to promote the National Blue Alert Network. COPS Office 

staff share information with Law Enforcement Coordinators (LECs) about issues affecting officer safety 

and Blue Alert related news. The Executive Office for United States Attorneys has been instrumental in 

facilitating coordination between The COPS Office and LECs. 

IV. Blue Alerts Issued

There are eight known instances where Blue Alerts were issued during this reporting period.

Alabama:

February 4, 2020 – Kimberly, AL: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) issued a Blue Alert for a 

suspect who shot a Kimberly Police Department officer during a pursuit on I-65. The officer died from his 

injuries, and authorities apprehended the suspect within 24 hours of the Blue Alert activation. 

Georgia:

September 6, 2020 - Whitfield County, GA: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) issued a Blue Alert 

after a suspect allegedly shot a Whitfield County deputy during a traffic stop on I-75. According to the 

GBI, the suspect fired numerous shots at a Whitfield County sheriff's deputy from inside his vehicle, 

striking the deputy in his ballistic vest. The deputy stopped the suspect for pulling a stolen utility trailer. 

Authorities captured the suspect after a nearly 72-hour manhunt. The deputy was not seriously injured.

Arizona:

September 17, 2020- Phoenix, AZ: Two Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers conducting 

surveillance on a warrant service were shot at by a suspect with an AK-47 in an ambush-style attack. The 

troopers were in an unmarked car, and the suspect and a driver approached them in another vehicle. As 

one of the troopers exited the vehicle to contact them, the suspect exited the passenger door and began 

shooting at the troopers. Authorities arrested one suspect at the scene, but the vehicle's driver escaped, 

and a Blue Alert was activated. The driver of the car remains at large. The troopers escaped injury.
8 

North Carolina:

November 14, 2020- Durham County, NC: The Durham County Sheriff's Office and other agencies issued 

a Blue Alert for a specific vehicle after suspects fired shots into an off-duty deputy's car. The deputy's 

injuries were not considered life-threatening. Four days after the shooting, the Sheriff's Office 

announced the arrest and apprehension of one suspect. The second suspect was placed on Durham 

County's "most wanted" list and was apprehended two months after the shooting.

Mississippi:

June 12, 2020 – Simpson County, MS – The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) issued a Blue Alert 

after a Simpson County Deputy was shot while transporting a subject from an involuntary psychiatric 

evaluation at a mental health facility. While being placed into a patrol car, the suspect attacked the 

deputy and was able to gain control of the deputy's service weapon. The suspect shot the deputy before 

fleeing on foot. The suspect was apprehended the following day, and the deputy died from his injuries.

Oklahoma:

June 29, 2020- Tulsa, OK: The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (OLETS) issued a 

Blue Alert after a suspect shot two Tulsa Police officers during a traffic stop. During the stop, the suspect 

became uncooperative with the officers, and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, the suspect pulled a 

gun from under the seat and shot both officers multiple times. The suspect fled the scene in a getaway 

vehicle with an additional suspect. One officer died from his injuries, while the other officer suffered 

severe wounds. Authorities captured the suspects 7 hours after the Blue Alert was issued. 

California:

August 4, 2020- Sacramento, CA: Sacramento Police responded to an armed and possibly suicidal subject 

call. The suspect left the scene in a vehicle before police arrived. A police sergeant arrived at the scene, 

checking on the safety of family members and neighbors. The suspect returned to the scene and fired a 

gun at the sergeant, striking his patrol vehicle several times. The California Highway Patrol issued a Blue 

Alert after the suspect fled in his car. The suspect was shot and killed almost a month later during a 

confrontation with Sacramento Police. No officers were injured in either incident.

Texas: 

March 26, 2021- Coolidge, TX: A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper assisting a disabled vehicle 

near Coolidge, TX, was shot upon arrival. As the trooper was coming to a stop behind the vehicle, the 

suspect exited the driver's door of the disabled car and began firing on the trooper, striking him. A Blue 

Alert was issued, and authorities located the suspect within 24 hours deceased from a self-inflicted 

gunshot wound. The trooper died five days after the incident.
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V. Effectiveness and Status of Blue Alert Plans

In addition to reporting on the activities of the Coordinator, the Blue Alert Act also requires the annual 

report to Congress to include the effectiveness and status of Blue Alert plans (34 U.S.C. § 50503(f)). The 

effectiveness of existing Blue Alert plans is difficult to gauge, partly because each state develops and 

administers its own plan individually. The COPS Office is not yet aware that any of the states with Blue 

Alert plans have conducted research into their effectiveness. The COPS Office has begun collecting data 

as it becomes available in order to evaluate the effectiveness of Blue Alert plans.

As previously reported, the COPS Office made direct outreach calls to each of the 56 states and 

territories. This includes 37 states that operate Blue Alert systems as well as those 19 states and 

territories that currently do not have Blue Alert systems. 

Since implementation of the National Blue Alert Network, there have been numerous incidents where 

law enforcement officers were shot and killed, sparking a search for suspects. In response, the Blue Alert 

Team has contacted the affected state authorities to offer assistance, ensure that neighboring states or 

jurisdictions were promptly notified, and facilitate interstate coordination.

As previously reported, the COPS Office has also verified which states have Blue Alert plans and the 

extent to which the plans comport with the voluntary guidelines. We have secured copies of Blue Alert 

plans and related materials such as program overviews, activation plans, legislation, and brochures from 

states that currently have Blue Alert plans.

To facilitate analysis of existing Blue Alert plans, the COPS Office publishes a legislation compendium 

containing the specific public laws, statutes, or executive orders that authorized and created state Blue 

Alert systems. The following are highlights of the threshold activation criteria from those states. These 

highlights illustrate clear and significant differences between states that could limit or complicate 

coordination efforts when a suspect flees, or is thought to have fled, to another jurisdiction: 

• 62 percent (23 states) of plans contain provisions for officers missing in the line of duty

• 16 percent (6 states) of states allow for activation in cases where an officer is threatened with a 

deadly weapon but not actually injured

• 70 percent (26 states) require sufficient descriptive information about a suspect to enlist the 

public's assistance

• 57 percent (21 states) require a suspect vehicle description or license tag for activation

The following table is a quick reference of threshold activation criteria for the featured states as of April 

2020. The wide range of Blue Alert activation criteria among states highlights the need for uniform

guidance and consistent protocols to enhance coordination and maximize interoperability from one 

state to another.
10

ALAZCA CO CT DEFLGAIDILINIAKSKYMDMEMIMNMSMOMTNHNCNDNJOHOKRISCSD*TNTXUT*VAVT*W

A

W

V

OFFICER STATUS

Killed ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Attempted killing ●

Serious bodily Injury ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Life-threatening 

injury ● ●

Assaulted with 

deadly weapon ● ● ● ● ● ●

Injured ●

Missing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Concerning 

circumstances ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Last location known ● ● ● ● ●

SUSPECT

Poses serious threat 

to public ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Imminent threat to 

public or LE ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Sufficient desc. to 

enlist public ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Vehicle description 

or tag ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

OTHER

Alert may avert 

further harm ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Alert may hasten 

apprehension ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

*Blue Alert adopted through executive action - no legislation available to include in compendium
11

The COPS Office continues to examine and document the differences and commonalities between 

existing Blue Alert processes. Our legislative compendium includes policies, forms, brochures, and 

promotional material from Blue Alert states that will be useful to states and law enforcement agencies 

in developing or improving their own Blue Alert systems.

VI. Officers Shot in the Line of Duty

In 2019, the COPS office awarded a grant to the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) to monitor and track 

shootings of law enforcement officers in the United States and its territories—specifically, shootings in 

which on-duty officers are wounded or killed. The FOP uses media monitoring software and general 

research to analyze publicly available information. Based on this data, the Department, in partnership 

with the FOP, issue a Report on Officers Shot, which documents all known shooting incidents in a

calendar year, in order to better understand the nature and frequency of incidents that could give rise 

to the issuance of a Blue Alert. The 2020 Report contains data on law enforcement officers shot in the 

line of duty, both fatally and non-fatally. These types of felonious attacks account for nearly all 

situations where a Blue Alert would be issued. Tracking data does not include assaults by means other 

than firearms, due to inconsistent availability of data. 

The COPS Office acknowledges the significant contributions and leadership of the FOP's staff, including 

National President Patrick Yoes, Executive Director Jim Pasco, Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson 

and Legislative Liaison Mark McDonald, to this Report.

Highlights of the 2020 Report include the following: 

2020 summary data

• 312 law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty during calendar year 2020 in 246 

separate shooting incidents, including 54 incidents where multiple officers were shot. 

• 47 law enforcement officers died from their injuries in 2020, and 268 officers survived. Of the 47 

officers who died, three officers were shot during an incident that took place prior to 2020, but

succumbed to their gunshot wounds in 2020.2

• City or municipal law enforcement officers accounted for over two-thirds (69 percent) of all 

shooting incidents in 2020. 

• Disturbance calls (67) and traffic stops (51) accounted for nearly half (48 percent) of all shooting 

incidents and resulted in 145 officers shot.

2

To avoid skewing the 2020 data, these three officers were only included in the data points regarding officers 

killed.
12

• 60 law enforcement officers were shot in 48 separate ambushes, and 12 died as a result of being 

ambushed.

• Another 158 officers were shot in 121 separate incidents where an offender acted without 

warning in a premeditated and calculated manner, taking an officer by surprise. 33 officers died 

in these types of situations. 

• 20 percent of officers ambushed died of their injuries, compared to 13 percent of officers 

attacked by other means; making ambush-style attacks more lethal for victim officers than any 

other shooting circumstance.

• At least 51 officers were protected from gunshots by a protective ballistic vest.

• Shootings occurred in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Texas had the highest 

number of officers shot at 34, followed by California at 24. 

• The month that saw the highest number of officers shot was July (37) and the day of the week 

with the highest number of officers shot was Tuesday (53).

VII. Summary of Activities and Projected Next 

Steps

Notable past developments/activities 

The Department reported the following developments and activities in its previous reports to Congress:

• Developed a wide variety of Blue Alert informational resources, including:

o National Blue Alert Network factsheet and PowerPoint presentation

o Compendium of state Blue Alert legislation and policies

o Directory of state Blue Alert officials

o Guidance and recommendations on developing or enhancing Blue Alert plans

• Launched the National Blue Alert Network SIG on the FBI LEEP platform

• Conducted periodic Advisory Group meetings

• Coordinated with FCC to create a dedicated Blue Alert EAS event code

• Identified all 56 state and territorial IPAWS authorizing officials

• Coordinated with FEMA to integrate Blue Alert plans into IPAWS

• Visited the FEMA IPAWS lab and trained on alerting equipment and software, including 

conducting test Blue Alerts

• Trained selected COPS Office Blue Alert Team members to provide technical assistance to states 

and local agencies
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• Performed immediate outreach to states after officers were killed to offer assistance and 

facilitate interstate coordination.

• Promoted awareness of the Blue Alert Act at various national law enforcement events, including 

the annual IACP conference and the National Officer Safety and Wellness Group forum

• New FCC rules authorizing the use of "BLU," the Blue Alert EAS event code went into effect on 

January 18, 2019. The same FCC rule authorized the issuance of Blue Alerts via Wireless 

Emergency Alerts (WEA) beginning on November 29, 2019. Together, these rules enable alerting 

authorities throughout the nation to quickly issue Blue Alerts using existing alerting software 

and systems.

• Members of the COPS Office Blue Alert team and colleagues from the FCC were awarded the 

Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public 

Safety for their outstanding leadership in implementing Blue Alert plans throughout the U.S.

• Members of the COPS Office Blue Alert team monitored media reports and other sources to 

identify possible Blue Alert situations. When practical, team members contacted the affected 

law enforcement agency to verify facts and offer assistance if needed.

• The COPS Office launched a targeted outreach plan to establish working coalitions in each state 

without Blue Alert laws and policies. The purpose of the outreach was to inform key 

stakeholders about the benefits of Blue Alerts and about the resources of the National Blue 

Alert Network. All efforts were coordinated with U.S. Attorneys' Offices in the affected states 

and districts. 

• The National Blue Alert Coordinator represented the COPS Office at dozens of conferences and 

meetings around the country where he promoted the use of Blue Alerts and available resources. 

• The Deputy National Blue Alert Coordinator traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, at the request of the 

Iowa Peace Officers Association to attend a meeting; while there, he was asked to provide 

information and answer questions from state officials who were considering the adoption of a 

statewide Blue Alert plan. 

• The Deputy National Blue Alert Coordinator presented information about Blue Alerts at the 

annual training conference for DOJ Law Enforcement Coordinators (LEC) in Columbia, South 

Carolina. LECs play a key role in U.S. Attorneys' Offices through their support of state, local, and 

tribal law enforcement agencies in their districts.

• The COPS Office published a report describing incidents where law enforcement officers were 

shot in the line of duty during calendar years 2018 and 2019. These reports were the first of 

their kind and provided meaningful insights into incidents that could give rise to the issuance of 

Blue Alerts.
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Notable new developments/activities 

The Department reports the following new developments and activities in the reporting period: 

• Members of the COPS Office Blue Alert team monitored media reports and other sources to 

identify possible Blue Alert situations. When practical, team members contacted the affected 

law enforcement agency to verify facts and offer assistance if needed.

• In 2019, the COPS Office awarded a $100,000 Community Policing Development grant to the 

Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for data collection activities to help identify and document 

incidents where on-duty law enforcement officers are shot in the line of duty. The FOP has a 

long history of research and involvement in the study of attacks on law enforcement. 

Throughout the reporting period, the FOP reported the status of its activities to the COPS Office 

and to the National Blue Alert Advisory Group. In May 2021, the FOP and COPS Office are 

publishing a report on incidents where law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty 

during calendar year 2020.

• The COPS Office continued outreach efforts to establish working coalitions in states without 

Blue Alert laws and policies. The purpose of the outreach was to inform key stakeholders about 

the benefits of Blue Alerts and about the resources of the National Blue Network. All efforts 

were coordinated with U.S. Attorneys' Offices in the affected states and districts. 

• The National Blue Alert Coordinator attended dozens of virtual conferences and meetings 

around the country and, where appropriate, promoted the use of Blue Alerts and resources 

offered by the COPS Office. 

• The COPS Office created and framed certificates to present to states that have enacted 

statewide Blue Alert plans for the benefit of all law enforcement agencies within the state. The 

presentations of these Blue Alert Certificates have been placed on hold due to COVID-19 

restrictions.

• The COPS Office conducted a nationwide outreach to solicit active, sworn law enforcement 

officers and deputies to serve a one-year detail as Law Enforcement Fellows to advance the 

National Blue Alert Network and assist with other COPS Office resources. Following a rigorous, 

competitive process, the COPS Office selected three fellows: a patrol officer from Pennsylvania, 

a detective from Colorado, and an undersheriff from Washington. The fellows begin their oneyear details in April 2021.
15

Upcoming activities 

The Department plans to undertake the following activities in the coming year in furtherance of its Blue 

Alert Mission:

• Conduct additional outreach to states and territories to raise awareness about the availability of 

free educational resources and technical assistance.

• Continue to work with the FCC, FEMA, and other federal partners to ensure effective 

coordination of Blue Alert rules and infrastructure. 

• Continue to work with law enforcement stakeholders and Advisory Group members to increase 

the effectiveness of Blue Alert guidance and recommendations.

• Continue to promote the Blue Alert Network to thousands of officers and agencies at upcoming 

law enforcement events.

• Identify fiscal needs for further implementation of the Blue Alert Act and make appropriate 

funding requests. 

• Continue with COPS Office Blue Alert Team meetings. 

• Incorporate the expertise of the COPS Office’s new Law Enforcement Fellows to advance the 

National Blue Alert Network. 

• Continue with periodic Blue Alert Act Advisory Group meetings.

VIII. Attachments 

• State map of Blue Alert plans (April 2020) 

• Blue Alert web page screen image

• DOJ Blue Alert Certificate sample 

• Blue Alert Fact Sheet (May 2020)

• 2020 Report, Officers Shot in the Line of Duty
16

Map of State Blue Alert Plans (April 2020)
17

Blue Alert Webpage Screen Image
18

DOJ Blue Alert Certificate Sample
U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 

 Fact Sheet www.cops.usdoj.gov

National Blue Alert Network
 

History 

In 2015, Congress passed the Rafael Ramos and 

Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act, named in 

honor of two New York City police officers killed in 

an ambush attack on December 20, 2014. The Act 

establishes a voluntary nationwide system to give police 

an early warning of threats against police officers and 

to aid in the apprehension of suspects who have killed 

or seriously injured an officer. In 2016, the COPS 

Office was asked to implement the Blue Alert Act and 

establish a National Blue Alert Network. 

Blue
Alerts


Blue Alerts provide for rapid dissemination of 

information to law enforcement agencies, media, 

and the public about violent offenders who have 

killed, seriously injured, or pose an imminent and 

credible threat to law enforcement. Blue Alerts can 

be transmitted via wireless devices and through the 

Emergency Alert System (EAS). The National Blue Alert 

Network works to encourage, enhance, and integrate 

Blue Alert plans throughout the United States. 

Blue Alert Activation Criteria 

Blue Alerts may be issued in any of the following 

circumstances, provided there is actionable information 

known about a suspect (e.g., name, physical description, or 

vehicle description): 

• When a law enforcement officer is killed or seriously injured in 

the line of duty 

• When an officer is missing in connection with official duties 

• When there is an imminent and credible threat to kill or 

seriously injure a law enforcement officer 

Blue Alert Resources 

The COPS Office provides resources and technical 

assistance to states, law enforcement agencies, and 

other stakeholders seeking to establish or enhance 

an existing Blue Alert plan. The National Blue Alert 

Network also maintains a secure data repository, for 

law enforcement only, containing many Blue Alert 

resources collected from around the nation, including 

examples of legislation, policies, forms, and a directory 

of state Blue Alert officials. 

For more information, visit the COPS Office website 

at www.cops.usdoj.gov/bluealert, email the COPS 

Office at BlueAlert@usdoj.gov, or call the COPS Office 

Response Center at 800-421-6770. 

Other Resources 

Federal Emergency Management Agency Integrated Public 

Alerting and Warning System (IPAWS) 

https://www.fema.gov/integrated-public-alert-warning-system 

Federal Communications Commission Emergency Alert 

System (EAS) 

https://www.fcc.gov/general/emergency-alert-system-eas 

Photo: 101cats/iStock 

November 2018 
 

 

 

Law Enforcement Officers 

Shot in the Line of Duty 

2020 Year-End Summary 

May 2021 
 

 

 

This report is compiled from publicly available information using media 

monitoring software and general research. It contains data on law enforcement 

officers shot in the line of duty, both fatally and non-fatally, for the express 

purpose of better understanding the nature and frequency of incidents that could 

give rise to the issuance of a Blue Alert. Care should be taken when comparing 

these results to those of other entities that collect similar data. The opinions 

contained herein are those of the author(s) or contributor(s) and do not 

necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

The COPS Office acknowledges the contributions of the National Fraternal 

Order of Police (FOP) staff, including National President Patrick Yoes, 

Executive Director Jim Pasco, Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson and 

Legislative Liaison Mark McDonald, to this report. 

Recommended citation: 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. 2021. Law Enforcement 

Officers Shot in the Line of Duty: 2020 Year-End Summary. Washington, DC: 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. 

Published 2021 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

NATIONAL BLUE ALERT NETWORK 

In 2015, Congress passed the Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act, named in honor of two New 

York City police officers killed in an ambush attack on December 20, 2014. The Act directs the Department of 

Justice to establish a voluntary nationwide system to promote the use of early warnings of threats against law 

enforcement officers and to aid in the apprehension of suspects who have killed or seriously injured an officer. 

In 2016, the COPS Office was given the honor of implementing the Act and established the National Blue Alert 

Network. 

The National Blue Alert Network seeks to encourage, enhance, and integrate Blue Alert plans throughout the 

United States. Blue Alerts provide for rapid dissemination of information to law enforcement agencies, media, 

and the public to aid in the apprehension of offenders who have killed, seriously injured, or pose an imminent 

and credible threat to law enforcement. Blue Alerts can be transmitted via wireless devices and through the 

Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the same manner as AMBER Alerts. 

TRACKING OFFICER SHOOTINGS 

This report was compiled by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) in partnership 

with the National Fraternal Order of Police using media monitoring software and general research to analyze 

publicly available information. It contains data on law enforcement officers shot in the line of duty, both fatally 

and non-fatally, for the express purpose of better understanding the nature and frequency of incidents that 

could give rise to the issuance of a Blue Alert. 

2020 SUMMARY DATA 

• 312 law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty during calendar year 2020 in 246 separate 

shooting incidents, including 54 incidents where multiple officers were shot. 

• 47 law enforcement officers died from their injuries in 2020, and 268 officers survived. Of the 47 officers 

who died, three officers were shot during an incident that took place prior to 2020; however, they 

succumbed to their gunshot wounds in 2020.

1 

• City or municipal law enforcement officers accounted for over two-thirds (69 percent) of all shooting 

incidents in 2020. 

• Disturbance calls (67) and traffic stops (51) accounted for nearly half (48 percent) of all shooting incidents 

and resulted in 145 officers shot. 

• 60 law enforcement officers were shot in 48 separate ambushes and 12 died as a result of being ambushed. 

• Another 158 officers were shot in 121 separate incidents where an offender acted without warning in a 

premeditated and calculated manner, taking an officer by surprise. 33 officers died in these types of 

situation. 

• 20 percent of officers ambushed died of their injuries, compared to 13 percent of officers attacked by other 

means; making ambush-style attacks more lethal for victim officers than any other shooting circumstance. 

• At least 51 officers were protected from gunshots that struck a protective ballistic vest. 

• Shootings occurred in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Texas had the highest number of 

officers shot at 34, followed by California at 24. 

• The month with the largest number of officers shot was July, with 37 and the day of the week with the 

largest number was Tuesday, with 53. 

1 To avoid skewing data for 2020, the three officers were only included in the data points regarding officers killed. These 

incidents are marked in the data by an asterisk (*). 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

2020 INCIDENT DATA 

There were 246 incidents in 2020 where law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty, a 9.8 percent 

increase over the total number of incidents in 2019. The number of officers shot increased by 14.3 percent over 

2019. The number of officers who died as a result of being shot increased by 6.8 percent from 2019. 

2020 Totals 2019 Totals % Change 

Total number of shooting incidents 246 224 + 9.8% 

Total number of officers shot 312 273 + 14.3% 

Number of officers shot and survived 268 229 + 17% 

Number of officers shot and killed 47*** 44 + 6.8% 

NOTE: Each asterisk (*) represents one officer who was shot prior to 2020 but succumbed to a gunshot wound in 

2020. 

INCIDENT DATA BY CIRCUMSTANCE 

Disturbance calls and traffic stops together accounted for nearly half (48 percent) of all shooting incidents. The 

third most common circumstance involved the serving of warrants, typically performed by tactical teams. 

Circumstance at Time of Incident 

Each asterisk (*) represents one officer who was shot prior to 2020 but 

succumbed to a gunshot wound in 2020. 

Circumstance Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

Active shooter 5 8 7 1 

Disturbance call 67 89 76 14* 

Prisoner transport 3 5 4 1 

Robbery 7 8 8 0 

Shooting / Shots fired 14 15 14 2* 

Other felony 21 27 22 5 

Suspicious person 16 22 18 4 

Traffic stop 51 56 47 10* 

Warrant service 22 28 25 3 

Other 40 54 47 7 

246 312 268 47*** 

Incident Circumstance (high-low) 

Disturbance call 

Traffic stop 

Other 

Warrant service 

Other felony 

Suspicious person 

Shooting / Shots fired 

Robbery 

Active shooter event 

Prisoner transport 

67 

51 

40 

22 

21 

16 

14 

7 

5 

3 

NATURE OF ATTACKS 

Every felonious attack on law enforcement officers, especially by gunfire, is disturbing regardless of the 

circumstances. Officers are always susceptible to life-threatening attacks and therefore must always be vigilant 

and maintain the highest level of situational awareness. In most cases, officers are able to quickly assess 

situations, recognize threats, and take adequate defensive actions. Tragically, not every threat can be seen or 

mitigated. Perhaps most troubling and worrisome are ambush-style and other calculated attacks on law 

enforcement. 

Premeditated ambush-style attacks are particularly disturbing and pernicious. These types of attacks are carried 

out with an element of surprise and intended to deprive officers of the ability to defend against the attack. 

Premeditated attacks contribute to a worrisome desensitization to evil acts that were once largely considered 

taboo except by the most depraved. In 2020, 49 percent of shooting incidents involved a discernable element of 

premeditation, which is a 7 percent (42 percent) increase over 2019. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

AMBUSH-STYLE ATTACKS 

There were 48 ambush-style incidents where officers were shot without any warning or opportunity to defend 

themselves, including several pre-planned assassinations. In many cases, officers were shot before they could 

exit their vehicles after an initial traffic stop or upon arrival at the scene of an incident. In all, 60 law 

enforcement officers were shot in ambush-style attacks, of whom 12 died. Of the total number of officers who 

were ambushed, 20 percent died of their injuries, compared to 18 percent of officers shot under other 

circumstances, making ambush-style attacks more lethal for victim officers. 

Examples of ambush-style attacks include the following: 

• A trooper stopped to assist a motorist whose vehicle had become stuck on a swale. While the trooper and 

the motorist were waiting for a tow truck driver, the man became upset with the cost of having the vehicle 

towed. The motorist calmly walked back to the trooper’s vehicle and, without warning, drew a handgun and 

fatally shot the trooper in the head. 

• Detectives were sitting in a vehicle after conducting an investigation when another vehicle drove up and the 

suspect fired at the detectives, striking one of them. 

• Two deputies were sitting in their patrol vehicle when the suspect approached them from behind, walked 

along the passenger side of the vehicle and shot the deputies multiple times. 

CALCULATED ATTACKS 

In addition to ambush-style attacks, there were 121 incidents where offenders acted in a calculated and 

premeditated manner to shoot officers in the performance of their duties. These attacks differ only slightly from 

the more brazen ambush-style attacks in that officers may have had some reason to anticipate a threat. In all, 

158 officers were shot in calculated attacks, of whom 33 died. 

Examples of calculated attacks include the following: 

• When officers attempted to pull over a vehicle with no plates, the vehicle sped off and the officers gave 

chase. During the pursuit, the suspects inside the vehicle began shooting at the officers. One officer was 

wounded. 

• Officers were investigating a burglar alarm that was triggered and began checking the home for signs of 

entry. When one of the officers knocked on the door to check on the residents, shots were fired from inside 

the home and the officer sustained a gunshot wound to his bicep. 

• Officers were trying to serve a warrant against a suspect wanted for attempted murder. Upon arrival at the 

location, the wanted suspect opened fire, striking one of the officers. 

BULLET-RESISTANT VESTS 

At least 51 officers were protected from gunshots that struck a protective ballistic vest. The actual number may 

be higher, but this element is not consistently apparent from news reporting. 
 

2020 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

INCIDENT DATA BY STATE 

Shooting 

incidents

Officers 

shot 

Number

survived 

Number 

killed State 

Each asterisk (*) represents one officer who was shot prior to 

2020 but succumbed to a gunshot wound in 2020. 

AL 

34 

24 

21

14

13 

10

TX 

CA 

MO 

FL 

IL 

GA 

AR 

IN 

ID 

TN 

WI 

KS 

KY 

CO 

6 6 4 2 

AZ 6 10 8 2 

AR 5 7 4 3 

CA 16 

OH 15

NY 14

NC 

24 23 2* 

CO 3 4 4 0 

CT 1 1 1 0 

DE 

LA 13 

MD 11 

1 1 1 0 AZ 10

DC 1 1 1 0 

FL 13 13 11 2 

GA 8 9 9 0 

HI 1 2 0 2 7 

ID 5 6 6 0 7 

IL 7 10 10 0 

IN 6 7 6 1 

IA 1 1 1 0 

KS 5 5 4 1 

KY 4 5 5 0 

LA 10 13 11 2 

9

SC 9

VA 9 

PA 7

AL 6

6

6

6 

5 

5 

MD 7 11 11 0 4

MA 2 2 2 0 

4 MI 3 3 3 1* 

4 MN 4 4 4 0 4 

MS 4 4 3 1 

MO 14 21 19 2 

NE 1 1 0 1 

NV 4 4 3 1 

2 NH 1 1 1 0 

2 NJ 1 1 1 0 2 

NM 1 

DE 1

IA 1

NJ 1 

NM 1 

DC 1 

MN 4

MS 

NV 

OK 

WA 4 

MI 

ND 

UT 

OR 

WV 

PR 

CT 

3 

3

3

HI 

MA 

1 1 0 2 

NY 10 14 14 0 

NC 10 14 11 3 

2 

1

NE 1

NH 1

ND 2 3 2 1 

OH 13 15 13 2 

OK 3 4 3 1 

OR 2 2 2 0 

PA 7 7 6 1 

PR 2 2 0 2 

SC 9 9 6 3 

TN 6 6 6 0 

TX 34 34 27 8* 

UT 3 3 2 1 

VA 9 9 9 0 

WA 4 4 3 1 

WV 2 2 1 1 

WI 6 6 6 0 

263 312 268 47*** 

Officers Shot by State 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

INCIDENT LOCATION DENSITY MAP 

Officer shootings were reported in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Texas had the highest 

number of shooting incidents at 34, followed by California at 16. The state with the next highest number of 

incidents reported was Missouri (14). No officer shootings were reported in 7 states (Alaska, Maine, Montana, 

Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming). The map below depicts shooting incident density across 

the nation. 

INCIDENT DATA BY AGENCY TYPE 

Sixty-nine percent of all shooting incidents involved city or municipal law enforcement agencies. The data and 

chart below depict incidents based on agency type. State law enforcement officers who were shot died at a 

higher rate (31 percent) than city and municipal officers (6 percent) and county officers (9 percent). 

Incidents by Agency Type 

Each asterisk (*) represents one officer who was shot prior to 2020 but 

succumbed to a gunshot wound in 2020. 

Agency 

type 

Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

CITY 172 218 186 34** 

COUNTY 56 70 65 6* 

STATE 16 16 11 5 

FEDERAL 4 6 6 0 

TRIBAL/OTHER 2 2 0 2 

250 312 268 47*** 

Officers Shot by Agency Type 

Federal 

2% 

State 

5% 

County 

22% 

City 

71% 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

INCIDENT DATA BY MONTH 

The month with the highest number of incidents was December (28). The month that saw the highest number of 

officers shot was July (37). 

Incident Data by Month 

Each asterisk (*) represents one officer who was shot prior to 

2020 but succumbed to a gunshot wound in 2020. DEC 

JUL 

MAY 

AUG 

JUN 

NOV 

APR 

MAR 

FEB 

SEP 

OCT 

JAN 

19 

19 

17 

16 

15 

14 

28 

26 

25 

23 

22 

22 

Month Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

JAN 14 16 13 3 

FEB 17 22 18 5* 

MAR 19 24 19 5 

APR 19 27 23 5* 

MAY 25 29 25 5* 

JUN 22 32 27 5 

JUL 26 37 33 4 

AUG 23 31 29 2 

SEP 16 19 16 3 

OCT 15 19 14 5 

NOV 22 25 23 2 

DEC 28 31 28 3 

246 312 268 47*** 

Incidents by Month 

INCIDENT DATA BY DAY OF WEEK 

The day of the week with the highest number of officers shot was Tuesday (53), followed by Monday (51) and 

Sunday (50). NOTE: The officers (3) who were shot prior to 2020 but succumbed to a gunshot wound in 2020 

were not included in the data below. 

Incident Data by Day of Week 

TUE 

MON 

SUN 

THU 

FRI 

SAT 

WED 

32 

31 

28 

41 

40 

38 

36 

Day Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

SUN 38 50 42 8 

MON 40 51 45 6 

TUE 41 53 47 6 

WED 28 34 29 5 

THU 36 45 40 5 

FRI 32 37 30 7 

SAT 31 42 35 7 

246 312 268 44 

Incidents by Day of Week 
 

 

 

 

 

NATIONAL BLUE ALERT NETWORK 

2020 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 2020 2019 % Change 

Total Number of Shooting Incidents 14 17 19 19 25 22 26 23 16 15 22 28 246 224 + 9.8% 

Total Number of Officers Shot 16 22 24 27 29 32 37 31 19 19 25 31 312 273 + 14.3% 

Number of Officers Survived 13 18 19 23 25 27 33 29 16 14 23 28 268 229 + 17% 

Number of Officers Killed 3 5* 5 5* 5* 5 4 2 3 5 2 3 47*** 44 + 6.8% 

Each asterisk (*) represents one officer who was shot prior to 2020 but succumbed to a gunshot wound in 2020. 

246 Shooting Incidents / 312 Officers Shot Officer Shot and Wounded (268) Officer Shot and Killed (44) 

* Assaults on law enforcement occurring on-duty during calendar year 2020 with firearms resulting in an officer being wounded or killed. 

Does not include assaults by means other than firearms due to inconsistent availability of data. Markers represent approximate geographic location.